


Forever (Can Never Be Long Enough)

by phantasticworks



Series: The Year of 2020 [2]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Cute, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, I wrote this in the notes on my phone, M/M, Phil's birthday, Sleepy Cuddles, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, but im actually kinda proud of it, sort of marriage proposal?, you'll see - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22488523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantasticworks/pseuds/phantasticworks
Summary: Phil wakes up on the morning of his 33rd birthday with sleepy cuddles. He and Dan make plans to make plans.
Relationships: Dan Howell & Phil Lester, Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Series: The Year of 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1634452
Comments: 10
Kudos: 99





	Forever (Can Never Be Long Enough)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Everyone has seemed to enjoy the shorter fics I've been trying to do so I'm back with another one! (I know I missed Phil's birthday but technically where I'm at it's still the 30th so I'm rolling with it)  
> I hope you enjoy! I really loved writing this one :')

It feels like early morning when Phil’s brain slowly drifts into consciousness. He can hear the cars on the road underneath the window, muted through the sealed glass. Closer to him, he can hear the unmistakable sound of fingers flying across an iPhone keyboard. He knows without looking that Dan is probably typing a message to Martyn or Cornelia to settle something about their plans for today. Their birthday plans, Phil rememberers with a giddy feeling. 

Rolling over and keeping his eyes closed, Phil lets out a sigh, unsubtly puckering his lips. When a kiss isn’t directly pressed to his mouth, he sighs again. Still, no reaction. One eyelid flutters as he tries to peek up at his boyfriend, as he knows for sure that Dan is awake. 

When he comes face to face with the back of Dan’s iPhone, Phil blushes and both eyes fly open. “Are you filming me?” He croaks, his voice still thick with sleep. 

Dan cackles at this. “Maybe,” he says cheekily. 

Phil groans, tossing an arm over his eyes. “You’re a horrible, horrible boy-“ 

Before he can even finish his complaint, his arm is being shoved away and chapped lips are pressing against his own. He smiles, breaking the rhythm of the kiss, but Dan doesn’t seem to mind. 

“Happy birthday, sweetheart.” His voice is dripping in affection, something that Dan doesn’t always allow himself. But he always makes an exception for special occasions, and today is one special occasion. 

“Thanks. Is there a corgi hiding somewhere, waiting for me to snuggle it?” He bats his eyelashes up at Dan, smiling sweetly. 

Dan rolls his eyes. “We’ve talked about this, and still can’t have a dog until we move.”

“Rats,” Phil sighs, disappointed. 

“Can’t have any of those either,” Dan grins. 

Phil shoots him a look before gently elbowing Dan’s thigh. “Your face is kinda far away,” he observes, allowing his eyes to scan over Dan’s body to take in his position sat up against the headboard of their bed. 

“Is it?” Dan laughs. When Phil hums, Dan’s hand falls to his hair to pet it gently. “I guess I’ll have to fix that for the birthday boy.” 

Phil thrills at the fact that today Dan will make concessions for him. Not that he doesn’t usually, but today Phil can be a little bit of a spoiled brat, and Dan will probably let him get away with it. 

Probably. 

Dan scoots down the bed and rolls onto his side, tossing his arm across Phil’s torso to snuggle against him. “Better?” He hums against Phil’s bare shoulder. 

“Mm. Much.” Phil sighs contently and drapes his own arm over Dan’s, his fingers gently tracing over his sleeve. “I had a dream we were at this party on a boat,” he says quietly. 

“Yeah?” Dan prompts gently. He doesn’t always want to listen to Phil’s rambling dreams, but he always does anyway, even if he thinks they’re silly. Phil loves him for that. 

“It was really weird,” Phil tells him, trying to remember the specific details of his latest dream. “I think there was a sea monster there too.” 

“Like on the boat?” Dan asks, sounding amused. 

Phil nods. “I think it was a cruise ship.” 

“Hm. Do you want to go on a cruise?” He asks, his voice thoughtful. 

Phil lifts his head to look up at Dan when he hears this. “Is that my birthday present?” He’s mostly kidding. The ocean sort of freaks him out. 

Dan outright laughs at him, so Phil relaxes back into the bed. “No, I’m afraid not. I’ll do better next year, baby.” 

“Looking forward to it,” Phil says dryly. “Anthony was there. And I think so was Louise, PJ, and Chris,” he muses, trying to recall any of the faces he remembers seeing. 

“Was I there?” Dan asks, his voice soft. 

Phil tilts his head to kiss Dan’s cheek, right over his dimple. “Of course. You’re always with me.” 

This seems to please Dan, as he hums approvingly. “Good. Don’t want you running off with a sea monster.” 

Phil snickers at the very idea of that. “You’re kinda like a reverse sea monster,” he says nonsensically. 

“Do you reckon?” Dan asks sarcastically. 

“I mean you don’t live under the water but you’re a monster,” Phil giggles. 

“Hilarious,” Dan says, deadpan. “You’re lucky you have the excuse of your birthday, bub, or I’d be pushing you off this bed right about now.” 

Phil rolls over to pull Dan against his chest. He kisses over his clavicle, working up his neck and to his jaw. “I was kidding. You’re lovely and I genuinely appreciate every moment we spend together.” 

Normally, Dan would say “ew” and shove him away, but something about birthdays made him cling a little more, say things a little more sincerely. This time, he tilts his head back and catches Phil’s lips with his own. “I love you,” he mumbles. 

Phil’s heart is bursting with affection. “Love you too, babe.” 

They lay there for a while, exchanging sleepy kisses and recounting their dreams, or what they can remember of them at least. Dan claims he had another traumatizing dream about their fish dying and insists they need to take him to a fish specialist to make sure he’s healthy. Phil argues that they’re basically fish specialists themselves so it wouldn’t make any sense to do that. Dan, in turn, says that Phil is being an anti-vax mum and loudly exclaims that he wants a divorce. 

“Have to marry me first, Howell,” Phil says lightly. This isn’t something they’ve figured out yet. They’re on the same page, but there was a time that they weren’t in the same book, or even the same library. So Phil knows this might be something that rubs Dan the wrong way, so he’s left holding his breath waiting for a response. 

There’s a soft sigh, followed by gentle fingers carding through his hair. “I know you’re not going to sit here and propose to me without a ring,” Dan says teasingly. 

Phil’s heart beats a little faster, a little out of pace. “Yeah,” he says, swallowing hard. “I am.” 

Dan laughs at this. He twists his body so they’re eye-to-eye. “Don’t take this the wrong way, baby, but I’m not going to marry you.” 

There’s a long pause. Phil’s heart sinks in his chest. He’s not really concerned for the state of their relationship as much as he’s just disappointed and honestly, a little hurt. He knew not now, but someday, he thought...

It’s not until he hears a long, dramatic sigh that Phil realizes that Dan’s moving, rustling around for something in his drawer. Phil stares at his back, the stripes blurring together the longer he stares. He isn’t sure if that’s due to his lack of eyesight without his glasses or just that perhaps his eyes were filling with tears. 

A minute later, Dan finally settles back down into the mattress, something clutched in his hand. He must notice the reproachful look on Phil’s face, because he snorts, rolling his eyes. “Oh, stop it. Don’t get all moody.” 

Phil sniffs. “Sorry, did your boyfriend just inform you that he has no intentions of marrying you?” 

Something shifts on Dan’s face, and his eyes grow softer, his face falling into something sweet and affectionate. “Not yet he hasn’t,” he murmurs. 

Phil stares at him. He’s trying to decide if Dan’s having a laugh when Dan reaches for his hand, pressing something into it. Glancing down warily, Phil slowly turns his hand over, opening his fingers to see what he’s been given. 

He won’t even lie, the excited, present-loving child within him is thrilled to be gifted something this early in the morning. The other adult, aware of how early in the morning it is part of him, is weary. 

He’s not expecting a ring to be in his hand. On a list of things he’s expecting to be given today, that’s probably around number 34, right after several different breeds of dogs, a board game he really wanted, and about a dozen different kinds of sweets. So, surprised is the emotion that really encapsulates his feelings when he looks down and finds a simple silver band resting there. 

“Uh....” 

“It’s not, like, a proper engagement ring,” Dan rushes, sounding nervous. 

Phil’s eyes flicker to the brown ones he loves so much. “Uh-huh,” he says dumbly. 

“Cause, like, I know you wanna do the actual proposing, when we get there.”

“Right...” Phil’s still confused. “So... am I meant to like... do it now? With this?” 

Dan rolls his eyes, which is probably justified, all things considered. He takes the ring from Phil’s hand, and unceremoniously pulls Phil’s left hand up, sliding the band over his ring finger. “What a lovely digit,” he says, his voice dripping in sarcasm. Phil goes to flip him off, but Dan gently pushes his finger down before leaning in to kiss the ring sweetly. 

“I don’t understand what’s happening,” Phil admits, staring at the ring. 

“Of course you don’t.” Dan sounds completely, effortlessly fond. “I know you wanna be the romantic proposal one, but... that’s your guarantee that I’ll marry you.” 

Phil nods. He understands that much about engagement, at least. 

Dan swallows hard, his gazing falling to the ring on Phil’s finger, his hand still held between Dan’s. “This is mine.” 

It takes a moment for it to click, but when it does, Phil can feel his eyes welling up with tears. “Baby,” he mumbles, tugging Dan down to his chest. Dan’s arms easily wrap around Phil’s waist, and Phil’s hands find their way to Dan’s shoulders, stroking gentle circles. “Obviously I wanna marry you. If you ever let me get around to proposing you’ll know that.” 

“I know,” Dan mumbles, kissing his neck. “But I wanted something to show it.”

Phil hums. “Thank you,” he whispers, watching his ring glittering in the soft light of their room. “I love it a lot.” 

“Love you a lot,” Dan says, as if it’s an insult. 

Pushing the fluffy curls off Dan’s forehead, Phil leans in to press a kiss right between his eyebrows. “Don’t suppose you wanna make me pancakes?” 

There’s a pause before Dan snorts, tickling Phil’s neck in the process. “Mm. No, but I suppose I wanna make you some coffee and give you a blowjob.” 

Phil grins. “You do?” 

Dan tilts his head back, a soft look on his face as he leans in, pressing a kiss to the corner of Phil’s mouth. “I do.”


End file.
